U.S. Army Specialist Richard C. 'Richie' Emmons III, Salem County native killed in Afghanistan, is laid to rest

View full sizeStaff photo by Cindy HepnerJanice Tighe Hogan, the mother of U.S. Army Specialist Richard C. "Richie" Emmons III, is presented with the flag which covered her son's casket as his funeral Saturday in Lawnside Cemetery. Emmons, a Salem County native, was killed May 31 in Afghanistan.

WOODSTOWN — U.S. Army Specialist Richard C. “Richie” Emmons III was laid to rest here Saturday afternoon, but the ultimate sacrifice he made will forever remain in the hearts and minds of his family and the people of Salem County.

Emmons, 22, was raised in the Woodstown area. He died May 31 from shrapnel wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket-propelled grenade in Logar Province, Afghanistan.

The turnout of support for the soldier’s grieving family Saturday was overwhelming. While Emmons had moved with his family to Connecticut when he was 14, his ties with this community remained strong.

U.S. Army Specialist Richard C. "Richie" Emmons III, a Salem County native, was killed in Afghanistan on May 31.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held in the morning to celebrate his life at The Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit Parish Center. Not a seat was empty as friends, family and even complete strangers came to pay their final respects to a local hero.

“Each of us here today holds a piece of Richie’s life in our hearts,” said Emmons’ aunt, Sandi Huey. “We are the keepers and caretakers of his life and our memories are the fuel that will keep his legacy burning bright.”

Emmons was described by family members as being compassionate, caring and kind. Sandi Huey also said he loved to make others laugh.

“He was a natural born comedian,” she said “He always made the good times better and the fun times more fun.”

Over the past days, family members have made contact with members of Emmons’ platoon. His Godfather, Greg Huey, reported through his communications that Emmons’ fellow soldiers in Afghanistan paid tribute to him during a special memorial service.

Greg Huey read aloud letters submitted by soldiers who fought right beside Emmons. He closed his eulogy with a brief, but heartfelt message to his Godson.

“We will love you forever,” said Greg Huey. “You will always be in our hearts and you will always be our hero.”

U.S. Army General Genaro J. Dellarocco officiated in the military proceedings during the service.

Four military honors were bestowed upon Emmons by Dellarocco and he presented the medals to Emmons’ mother, Janice Tighe Hogan.

He announced the names of each award, and then privately knelt to present them to Hogan — the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal and the NATO Medal.

During his military service for the United States, Emmons had also earned the Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Combat Action Badge.

Dellarocco’s words were powerful for he said the U.S Army had lost a member of its family as well.

“The reason I’m here is because the Army handles any soldier’s sacrifice with a great deal of dignity and respect,” said Dellarocco. “We lost a part of our family as well and we lost a good solider.”

During the Mass, Father John Picinic, the Parochial Vicar, said he viewed Emmons’ death as an example of exceptional love.

“Something about Richie’s final act goes beyond just great love,” said Picinic. “It’s exceptional, out-of-the-ordinary and that kind of thing makes people pause, if not freeze, right in their tracks.”

He said that is why so many people came to pay their respects.

View full sizeSpecial to the Sunbeam/BJ SmithAmong the hundreds lining the route between the site of funeral services for U.S. Army Specialist Richard C. "Richie" Emmons III and Lawnside Cemetery where he was buried, a young woman held a sign reading "God Bless America."

“Yes, they want to honor this great man, but some quality in him, this exceptional act of love, we desire in our own hearts,” said Picinic.

As the service ended and the procession made its way to Lawnside Cemetery, where Emmons was laid to rest, the effect of that exceptional love was manifested by way of hundreds of Salem County residents gathering along the motorcade route.

Young and old, men and women gathered on the sidewalks and their lawns and porches and waved America flags to pay tribute to Emmons’ ultimate sacrifice. Tears streamed down the faces of many of thse who lined the streets in Woodstown from the parish center to the cemetery.

They felt Emmons’ exceptional love and responded to it. People trekked to the burial site, many walking from the center of town.

Travelers on U.S Route 40 honked their horns and some even pulled over on the side of the road to pay their respects.

A pathway was created at the cemetery, that stretched over 100 yards long. Those who lined the path watched as Emmons’ casket was carried by a group of U.S Army soldiers. The red, white and blue American flag covering his silver casket glowed in the rays of the sun that had broken through the clouds.

There was an air of sadness at the grave site as the ceremonial “Taps” was played, but at the same time the people watching were brought to life, their eyes opened to the realities of war. The crowd became one.

Now at his place of burial, the soldiers took the American flag from Emmons’ casket and after folding it with precision, they presented it to Emmons’ mother in a final tribute.

Hogan embraced the neatly folded flag. Wiping the tears away from her eyes, she placed a single red flower on top of her son’s casket.

A family and a county had said good-bye to a native son and American hero.

View full sizeStaff photo by Cindy HepnerMilitary pallbearers carry the casket of U.S. Army Specialist Richard C. "Richie" Emmons III to his final resting place in Lawnside Cemetery on Saturday.